Stacked radio frequency devices

Abstract

Various implementations enable management of parasitic capacitance and voltage handling of stacked integrated electronic devices. Some implementations include a radio frequency switch arrangement having a ground plane, a stack and a first solder bump. The stack is arranged in relation to the ground plane, and includes switching elements coupled in series with one another, and a first end of the stack includes a respective terminal of a first one of the plurality of switching elements. The first solder bump is coupled to the respective terminal of the first one of the plurality of switching elements such that at least a portion of the first solder bump overlaps with one or more of the plurality of switching elements, an overlap dimension set in relation to a first threshold value in order to set a respective contribution to a parasitic capacitance of the radio frequency switch arrangement.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A radio frequency switch arrangement comprising:
 a ground plane; 
 a stack arranged in relation to the ground plane, the stack including a plurality of switching elements coupled in series with one another, and the stack having first and second ends, the first end including a respective terminal of a first one of the plurality of switching elements; and 
 a first solder bump coupled to the respective terminal of the first one of the plurality of switching elements such that at least a portion of the first solder bump overlaps with one or more of the plurality of switching elements, an overlap dimension set in relation to a first threshold value in order to set a respective contribution to a parasitic capacitance of the radio frequency switch arrangement. 
 
     
     
       2. The radio frequency switch arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of switching elements includes field effect transistors, at least some of the field effect transistors each being coupled source-to-drain with one or more adjacent field effect transistors. 
     
     
       3. The radio frequency switch arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of switching elements includes at least one of field effect transistors, bipolar junction transistors, GaAs transistors, diodes, and micro-electromechanical devices. 
     
     
       4. The radio frequency switch arrangement of  claim 1  further comprising a dielectric board having first and second planar surfaces, the first solder bump arranged in association with the first planar surface, the ground plane arranged in association with the second planar surface, and the thickness of the dielectric board set in relation to a second threshold value in order to set a respective contribution to the parasitic capacitance. 
     
     
       5. The radio frequency switch arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the first solder bump is characterized by a size dimension, and the size dimension is set in relation to a second threshold value in order to set a respective contribution to the parasitic capacitance. 
     
     
       6. The radio frequency switch arrangement of  claim 5  wherein the size dimension includes one of a radius and a diameter of the first solder bump. 
     
     
       7. The radio frequency switch arrangement of  claim 1  further comprising a second solder bump coupled to the ground plane and to a respective terminal of a second one of the plurality of switching elements included on the second end of the stack. 
     
     
       8. The radio frequency switch arrangement of  claim 7  further comprising a connection to an antenna element from one of the first and second ends of the stack. 
     
     
       9. The radio frequency switch arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the overlap dimension includes and is proximate to the first one of the plurality of switching elements. 
     
     
       10. A radio frequency switch module comprising:
 a packaging substrate configured to receive a plurality of components; 
 a ground plane arranged on a first side of the packaging substrate; 
 a stack arranged in relation to the ground plane on a second side of the packaging substrate, the stack including a plurality of switching elements coupled in series with one another, and the stack having first and second ends, the first end including a respective terminal of a first one of the plurality of switching elements; and 
 a first solder bump coupled to the respective terminal of the first one of the plurality of switching elements such that at least a portion of the first solder bump overlaps with one or more of the plurality of switching elements, an overlap dimension set in relation to a first threshold value in order to set a respective contribution to a parasitic capacitance of the stack. 
 
     
     
       11. The radio frequency switch module of  claim 10  wherein the thickness of the packaging substrate is set in relation to a second threshold value in order to set a respective contribution to the parasitic capacitance. 
     
     
       12. The radio frequency switch module of  claim 10  wherein the first solder bump is characterized by a size dimension, and the size dimension is set in relation to a second threshold value in order to set a respective contribution to the parasitic capacitance. 
     
     
       13. The radio frequency switch module of  claim 10  further comprising a second solder bump coupled to the ground plane through the packaging substrate and to a respective terminal of a second one of the plurality of switching elements included on the second end of the stack. 
     
     
       14. The radio frequency switch module of  claim 10  wherein the overlap dimension includes and is proximate to the first one of the plurality of switching elements. 
     
     
       15. A radio frequency device comprising:
 a ground plane; 
 a stack arranged in relation to the ground plane, the stack including a plurality of switching elements coupled in series with one another, and the stack having first and second ends, the first end including a respective terminal of a first one of the plurality of switching elements; 
 a first solder bump coupled to the respective terminal of the first one of the plurality of switching elements such that at least a portion of the first solder bump overlaps with one or more of the plurality of switching elements, an overlap dimension set in relation to a first threshold value in order to set a respective contribution to a parasitic capacitance of the stack; and 
 an antenna coupled to a transceiver through the stack, the antenna configured to facilitate transmission or reception of a radio frequency signal. 
 
     
     
       16. The radio frequency device of  claim 15  wherein the radio frequency device includes a wireless device. 
     
     
       17. The radio frequency device of  claim 16  wherein the wireless device includes at least one of a base station, a repeater, a cellular phone, a smartphone, a computer, a laptop, a tablet computer, and a peripheral device. 
     
     
       18. The radio frequency device of  claim 15  further comprising a dielectric board having first and second planar surfaces, the first solder bump arranged in association with the first planar surface, the ground plane arranged in association with the second planar surface, and the thickness of the dielectric board set in relation to a second threshold value in order to set a respective contribution to the parasitic capacitance. 
     
     
       19. The radio frequency device of  claim 15  wherein the first solder bump is characterized by a size dimension, and the size dimension is set in relation to a second threshold value in order to set a respective contribution to the parasitic capacitance. 
     
     
       20. The radio frequency device of  claim 15  further comprising a second solder bump coupled to the ground plane through the packaging substrate and to a respective terminal of a second one of the plurality of switching elements included on the second end of the stack.